How Boston's New Firehouse Prioritizes Firefighters' Health

BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Boston Fire Department celebrated progress on the city's first new firehouse in 30 years with a topping off ceremony on Friday; the raising of the final beam, signed by the ironworkers who built the place, and stamped with the BFD seal.

The new firehouse on Columbus Avenue in Roxbury will be home to Engine 42. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said the station is being built with an eye on reducing the cancer risk to firefighters.

"It's designed to prevent contaminants in living areas," said Walsh. "It's an important step to addressing the occupational hazards of firefighters."

According to the City of Boston, the layout of the new firehouse minimizes particulate contaminants from traveling to the living quarters of the building. The firehouse was designed to be broken into three zones; hot, warm and cold, to keep carcinogens from circulating throughout the firehouse.

It has also been designed to include a 25 seat training room, allowing BFD to keep tactical rescue companies up to date on latest training, and keeping them closer to their houses, instead of training on Moon Island.

The house will also have a training deck on the roof, a training stair tower to allow for simulated training exercises onsite and a fitness room. 14 bunk rooms will house two fire companies, and there will be three extended apparatus bays, allowing more BFD tactical rescue equipment to be housed at the location.

WBZ NewsRadio's Karyn Regal reports:

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(Photo: Mayor Walsh/Twitter)


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